Dahlia plant named ‘Karma Irene’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Karma Irene’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; early flowering habit; strong and erect peduncles; decorative-type inflorescence form; large inflorescences with red orange-colored ray florets; and good garden performance and postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Dahlia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Karma Irene’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant, botanically known as Dahlia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Karma Irene’.

The new Dahlia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Lisse, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut flower Dahlia cultivars that have a freely flowering habit, decorative inflorescence form, attractive ray floret coloration, and good postproduction longevity.

The new Dahlia originated from an open-pollination in Lisse, The Netherlands during 2000, of the Dahlia hybrida cultivar Karma Fuschsiana, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Dahlia hybrida, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dahlia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Lisse, The Netherlands during 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dahlia by cuttings since the spring of 2002 in a controlled environment in Lisse, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Dahlia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Karma Irene has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Karma Irene’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Karma Irene’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely flowering habit.     -   3. Strong and erect peduncles.     -   4. Decorative-type inflorescence form.     -   5. Large inflorescences with red orange-colored ray florets.     -   6. Good garden performance and postproduction longevity.

Compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Karma Fuchsiana, plants of the new Dahlia differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia are larger than plants of the         cultivar Karma Fuchsiana.     -   2. Plants of the new Dahlia have lighter green-colored leaves         than plants of the cultivar Karma Fuchsiana.     -   3. Plants of the new Dahlia have larger inflorescences than         plants of the cultivar Karma Fuchsiana.     -   4. Plants of the new Dahlia have broader ray florets than plants         of the cultivar Karma Fuchsiana.     -   5. Plants of the new Dahlia and the cultivar Karma Fuchsiana         differ in ray floret color as plants of the cultivar Karma         Fuchsiana have orange and red purple bi-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Dahlia can be compared to plants of the Dahlia cultivar Arabian Night, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lisse, The Netherlands, plans of the new Dahlia differed from plants of the cultivar Arabian Night in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dahlia were larger and stronger than plants         of the cultivar Arabian Night.     -   2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Dahlia were longer         lasting than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Arabian         Night.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Dahlia were lighter in color         than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Arabian Night.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dahlia. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dahlia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of typical flowering plants of ‘Karma Irene’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Karma Irene’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Lisse, The Netherlands during the summer in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Dahlia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were pinched one time about three to four weeks after planting. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were about four months old when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia hybrida cultivar Karma Irene. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Dahlia hybrida cultivar Karma             Fuchsiana, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Dahlia             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days             at temperatures of about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 27 days             at temperatures of about 18° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine to fleshy; tuber development has not             been observed.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright to somewhat outwardly             spreading; inverted triangle plant form. Freely basal             branching with about four lateral branches and             inflorescences held above the foliage on strong peduncles;             bushy and dense. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 100 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 45 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: about 20 to 25 cm. Diameter:             Towards the base, about 5 cm; towards the apex, about 3 mm.             Internode length: About 7 cm to 15 cm. Aspect: Erect to             somewhat outwardly spreading. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: 153A tinted with 183B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves opposite; leaves may be single or             compound with three or five leaflets.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrate and divided; sinuses divergent.         -   Length.—Single leaves: About 10 cm. Compound leaves with             three leaflets: About 15 cm. Compound leaves with five             leaflets: About 23 cm.         -   Width.—Single leaves: About 5 cm. Compound leaves with three             leaflets: About 9 cm. Compound leaves with five leaflets:             About 13 cm.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             137A; venation, 148C. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 147B; venation, 137B.         -   Petiole length.—Single leaves: About 2 cm. Compound leaves             with three leaflets: About 3 cm. Compound leaves with five             leaflets: About 6 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—Single leaves: about 3 mm. Compound leaves             with three leaflets. About 5 mm. Compound leaves with five             leaflets. About 7 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—1D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Rotate single inflorescence form with ray and             disc florets. Inflorescences positioned above the foliage on             strong peduncles. Inflorescences face upright to slightly             outwardly. Freely flowering habit; about 70 inflorescences             develop per plant. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences             not fragrant.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously during the summer             and autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;             inflorescences maintain good substance for about 22 days on             the plant and for about ten days as a cut flower.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About             2.1 cm. Shape: Oblate. Color: 144A; towards the apex, 151C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11 cm. Depth (height):             About 5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.6 cm. Receptacle height:             About 2 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 2 cm.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm.             Shape: Ovate to elliptic. Apex: Slightly retuse or obtuse.             Base: Attenuate. Aspect: Initially upright to roughly             perpendicular to the peduncle to reflexed; flat or cupped.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny.             Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 120 arranged             in about 15 whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: 42A;             towards the margins, 45A. When opening, lower surface: 42A;             longitudinal stripes. 15B. Fully opened, upper surface:             Center, 34B; toward the apex, 42A; towards the base, 15B.             Fully opened, lower surface: Center and towards the margins,             42B; longitudinal stripes and towards the base, 16B.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate. Length: About             7 mm. Diameter, apex: About 1 mm. Diameter, base: About             1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 20.             Color: Immature: 1B. Mature: Apex: 15A. Mid-section: 1B.             Base: 1D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About six arranged             in a single whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Ovate, broad. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: Terminal peduncle: About 30 cm. Fourth             peduncle: About 18 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 15 cm.             Diameter: Towards the base, about 1.5 cm; towards the apex,             about 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect to about 10°             from vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 183B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per disc floret:             Five. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length: About 1 mm.             Anther color: 16B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 23A.             Gynoecium: Quantity per ray or disc floret: One. Pistil             length: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate. Stigma color:             1C. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 1D. Ovary color:             1A. Seeds: Seed development has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dahlia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dahlia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dahlia have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Dahlia plant named ‘Karma Irene’ as illustrated and described. 